While season 28 is a huge wild card right now and none of us are quite sure what to expect, one thing’s for sure: 27 seasons of this show have shown us that if someone is a rumor for long enough, odds are good that they’ll eventually end up on the show. Paula Deen, Jodie Sweetin, Ryan Lochte, Terrell Owens, the list goes on – all were rumors for multiple seasons (often over a span of several years) before they ended up on the show. Hell, I even found an old post from early 2013 where *cringe* Bobby Bones was trying to campaign to get on the show.

So what names are in the rumor recycling bin that might crop up again? Here are a few I found that I think are worth considering…

Finola Hughes

Last time we heard her name: said she’d “love to do the show” back before season 16

Why we might see her name in the mix again: With the upcoming release of the new movie version of Cats, she’s getting renewed attention for playing Victoria in the original Broadway run of the show. She’s also ABC family (General Hospital), a dancer (classically trained in ballet, but who knows how much she’s actually retained from her youth), and fulfills the “nostalgia” quota (the famous Robert & Anna GH storyline, as well as roles in Stayin’ Alive and Aspen Extreme).

Likelihood of getting cast: Low to moderate – she’s probably not a huge get for the show, but she’s low-hanging fruit casting-wise and probably a bit more relevant at this point in time, due to her Cats connection. Also a good bet if they want to guarantee some good dancing.

Why we might see his name in the mix again: Rob has been a rumor for SEVERAL years now, and he seems to want to do the show, but his (understandable) excuse has always been that he “doesn’t want to get injured” in the NFL off-season. But given that he announced his retirement from the NFL in late March of this year, an off-season injury is no longer a concern…so is Gronk finally about to put his money where his mouth is and show off these dance skills he’s been boasting about for a few years now? As a three-time Super Bowl champion from a popular team (and a bit of a pop culture fixture), he’s an attractive casting prospect. A bonus: his girlfriend is Sports Illustrated model Camille Kostek, who is a former NFL cheeleader who still dances regularly…could we maybe seem them on the show as a two-fer, a la Nick & Vanessa Lachey (but hopefully more fun to watch)?

Likelihood of getting cast: High to definite – the timing seems perfect for both him and the show. WATCH SOCIAL MEDIA, GUYS – Rob seems like the type that will drop some heavy-duty hints if he’s involved.

Why we might see her name in the mix again: She appeared on The Masked Singer earlier this year, which seems to indicate that she might be more open to reality shows at this point; she’s also part of the much-hyped 90210 reboot, BH90210, which begins airing Aug. 7 – where five of her castmates are DWTS alums. She’s also coming off of the shocking recent demise of former costar Luke Perry, which seems to provide fodder for “personal story” week (think Jennifer Grey getting choked up talking about Patrick Swayze, or Amber Riley addressing Corey Monteith’s death on her season).

When we last heard his name: It started getting thrown around for season 21, after Kobe and his wife attended the season 20 finale; it seems like it’s been getting whispered for every season since, but reached fever pitch again for season 26

Why we might see his name in the mix again: Because he hasn’t done the show yet, and he’s been on a lot of viewers’ wishlists since he retired from the NBA in 2016. Also a “bigger name”, like the show claims to be going after this year.

Likelihood of getting cast: Low to moderate. I think he’s just going to be a name that keeps cropping up each season until they actually get him on the show – but it could be cool to have both he and Gronk on the same season, since both are considered greats in their respective sports.

Why we might see her name in the mix again: She’s the first Real Housewife I can recall being mentioned with regards to DWTS, so it seems to give a bit of OG cred – and given that she’s been through the legal wringer the past 5 years or so (a stint in jail, bankruptcy, her husband possibly getting deported), she could be a good candidate for a sort of “comeback” story line on DWTS. She’s also hard-up for money, so I’m guessing she’ll gladly accept an offer.

Likelihood of getting cast: Low, but if Bobby Bones can campaign to get on the show and eventually succeed AND win, anything’s possible! Another person who I think will continue to crop up in the rumor mill until they get cast, they die, or the show gets cancelled.

So what are your thoughts on these repeat rumors? Are some finally going to come to fruition this season? What other names can you think of that might crop up again this season, after being rumored in the past?

Ok kids, we’re at about t minus 66 2113 hours until the cast announcement, and it’s time once again to break down the various rumors we’ve heard about the cast so far – which, unfortunately, haven’t been too plentiful this season. But hey, at least it has given our imaginations the chance to run wild and we may be in for some big, hopefully pleasant surprises on Tuesday morning 🙂

I went ahead and broke the rumored names into categories: the ones that we think are legitimate possibilities (names we keep hearing, from reputable sources), the ones that are a longshot (they’ve been a rumor, but they’re more likely to say “no” than the legitimate possibilities), the ones that have said they want to do the show or have campaigned to get on the show (but probably haven’t been/won’t be asked), the random one-offs that are usually referred to by a 3rd party (and not a reputable source or the person themselves), and the “endless parade of no” – the celebs who were reportedly asked to do the show, but turned it down.

ETA: Added a new rumor, and threw in some updates on others. Things are starting to take shape! 🙂

ETA2: The rumors came flooding in today…and some of them seem pretty legit.

Curious as to what pros we’re going to see/not going to see this season? Be sure to keep an eye on Heidi’s Pro Watch to keep up with all the in’s, out’s, and new faces this season. And be sure to tune into PureDWTS starting at 7 AM EST on Tuesday (2/26), as yours truly will be live blogging the cast announcement on GMA…things could get crazy, kids. You won’t want to miss it 😉